This are 10 Facts About Love That Will Seriously Make Your Heart Smile

Did you know that love actually is blind? And that men are more likely to say “I love you” before their female partner does? Neither did we, until we started researching the wonderful and mysterious world of falling in love and having feelings for another human being. Love hold so much space not only in our lives, but in our psychology, in our biology, and in our history. Here, we’ve outlined 10 facts about love that will help you to understand it, and maybe even find it in your own life.

1. Eye contact is key.
Some extraordinary research has found that couples who are in love and bond in a romantic relationship synchronize their heart rates after gazing into each others’ eyes for three minutes.

2. Love works fast.
It only takes up to 4 minutes to decide whether you like someone or not.
3. Love can be addictive.
Falling in love is much like taking a dose of cocaine, as both experiences affect the brain similarly and trigger a similar sensation of euphoria. Research found that falling in love produces several euphoria-inducing chemicals that stimulate 12 areas of the brain at the same time.

4. There’s a reason why cuddling feels so good.
Oxytocin, the so-called love or cuddle hormone, is produced during an embrace or cuddle.

5. Your heart can actually break.
Research has provided evidence that intense, traumatizing events, such as a break-up, divorce, loss of a loved one, physical separation from a loved one, or betrayal can cause real physical pains in the area of one’s heart. This condition is called the Broken Heart Syndrome.

6. Biologically, your love changes with time.
It is estimated that romantic love, which is linked with euphoria, dependence, sweaty palms, butterflies and alike, only lasts about a year. After that first year begins the so-called “committed love” stage. The transition is linked with elevated neurotrophin protein levels in newly formed couples.

7. Love goes hand in hand with stress.
Studies show that people at an early stage of love have lower levels of serotonin, which is associated with feelings of happiness and well-being, and higher levels of cortisol, associated with stress.

8. Priorities change when looking for a long term companion.
There’s evidence that when looking for a fling, the body wins over the face on a physical attraction basis. The opposite is true, however, for those who are looking for a long-term relationship partner.

9. Feelings make life that much sweeter.
Researchers looked at a group of people, and found that those who were thinking about love said a specific kind of food was sweeter than those thinking about jealousy or something neutral.

10. Some people can’t feel love.
Some individuals who claim never to have felt romantic love suffer from hypopituitarism, a rare disease that doesn’t allow a person to feel the rapture of love.